An air-powered tube system generally contains different tube joints for different purposes. For example, a volume control valve is to control air volume in a tube system. An air sprayer is to blow off debris and dusts to maintain a system. A T-tube is to dispense airflow in a tube system. Conventional tube joints have only one or two of these functions. Accordingly, to achieve all the functions, an air-powered tube system has to include many tube joints. However, more tube joints may cause more air leak. The working efficiency and power produced by an air power tube system may decrease caused by air leak. Many tube joints also occupy much space and make a system difficult to manage. Many tube joints also increase the weight of a powered tube system such as an air-powered tool. An over-weighted air-powered tool is inconvenient to for a user to use it.
One of the conventional arrangements of an air-powered tube system used in an air-powered tool is that a T-tube connected with an air power source with its input end and connected with the air-powered tool with a first output end and connected with a air sprayer with a second output end. Thereby, the airflow can communicate to both the air-powered tool and the air sprayer from the air power source. However, the air sprayer is not used frequently. It's used only when the debris produced by the air-powered machine need to be cleaned. Most of the time the air sprayer is placed on a working platform. The air supply to the air-powered machine may be influenced by the branch connection to the air sprayer because the airflow supplied from the air power source is divided to two portions. Besides, this arrangement contains many tubes. When a user uses the air-powered machine such as an air-powered polishing machine, the tube connected to the sprayer will disturb him. This situation may cause harm to the user for example the tubes trip him. Another arrangement is to replace an air-powered machine and an air sprayer once at a time with single tube. This will waste a lot of time in changing the two devices. Therefore a multifunction tube joint that can be used as a volume control valve, air sprayer or/and a T-tube is needed.